


A Little Light of Hope

by ASharksReadingGlasses



Series: Ghost in the NYC [15]
Category: Danny Phantom, Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man - Fandom, Marvel Universe - Fandom, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Danny's canon grumpiness about the holidays, F/M, Famyily Dynamics, Found Family, Gen, Jewish Peter Parker, Maddie Fenton's A+ Parenting, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Religion, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, holiday fic, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-15 03:48:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29677968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ASharksReadingGlasses/pseuds/ASharksReadingGlasses
Summary: The holidays are coming up, and Danny is absolutely miserable even though he can finally get away from his parents obnoxious arguing. When Peter invites him to meet his aunt over Hanukkah dinner, Danny's not sure if he should go in case he ruins everything with his bad mood.
Relationships: Danny Fenton & Peter Parker, Danny Fenton & Tony Stark, May Parker (Spider-Man) & Peter Parker, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Ghost in the NYC [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2045206
Comments: 84
Kudos: 423





	A Little Light of Hope

**Author's Note:**

> Made in collaboration with [Stove](https://the-stove-is-on-fire.tumblr.com/) on tumblr
> 
> All right everyone, he is the first of three bonus episodes for Season 2.
> 
> First, I am so sorry this took so long! It was like the world was conspiring against me - whenever I tried to sit down and write for an extended period, something would pop up and interrupt me XC Second, these will probably be short and/or fast paced little snippets compared to the full length episodes like the previous seasons of the series. Third, I started the second season in late 2020, and Stove mentioned that they wanted some snowy/wintry scenes, so I'm going to oblige them with that. And Finally, I'm not Jewish, so if there are any Jewish readers who feel like their religion was misrepresented, please tell me with what and how I should fix it so I can do so.
> 
> So I actually pulled from my own experience when writing this. When I was in high school, I met a guy in my chemistry class and we became good friends. I ended up finding out he was Jewsih, so that year I bought a box of chocolate for his family. He ended up asking me if I wanted to join his family for a Hanukkah party they were throwing, and I went. I was honored he felt he could share his religion with me, and I wanted to reflect part of that here. I personally think that you don't have to follow a religion to participate or honor one of its holidays, as long as the meaning behind it is still there.

Danny glared down at his feet, his breath fogging in his face as he stomped through a pile of dirty slush on the sidewalk while he trudged to the nearest Metro entrance. When he had finally fully settled in New York at the beginning of November, he had hoped that the time he spent away from his parents and actually living on his own would help soften the blow of the upcoming holidays. His grades were improving and he was actually able to keep them at a high "B", his job at the planetarium was fun, he got to see Sam and Tucker regularly, and he was even beginning to get a healthy amount of sleep. But as soon as Danny heard that first holiday song, all the good vibes from his accomplishments over the past month were washed away by his souring mood.

Not only that, but barely a week into December and his parents had started their tradition of arguing over the holidays. Only this time, to make matters worse, the arguments were about _him_. As he was saying goodbye to Sam and Tucker earlier today in Amity, they had heard his parents fighting from the floor above them. Maddie had wanted him to come home for Christmas because they hadn't been able to spend time with him in over a month, while Dad insisted that she let Danny decide if he wanted to come home for the holidays or not. Of course, the argument got heated and devolved into a screaming match that he was pretty sure could be heard throughout the whole block. Danny had been so mortified and embarrassed that he had quickly give Sam and Tucker their gifts he had prepared for them earlier, before sprinting into the ghost zone with a hasty goodbye. He had quickly flew through the zone to get back home in New York, slipping out of the Sanctum with his hood from his jacket over his head, eyes down, and hands clenched in his jeans pockets without even talking to Dr. Strange or Wong.

Danny grit his teeth as his frustration started to bubble, and kicked angrily through a pile of snow as he crossed the street at an intersection. Even when he wasn't in Amity for Christmas, somehow his parents still managed to give him the short end of the stick, just like they always did around this time of the year. As he continued to walk down the street and his core vibrated irregularly, an oppressive sensation began to surround him like a shield. Other people on the sidewalk started to drift around him absentmindedly while a few other pedestrians frowned at him as he passed, but Danny honestly didn't care that much. As long as people left him alone, he would be much better off. He flinched whenever someone slipped by the invisible barrier, clipping his shoulder or his side with a quick apology before rushing off. Danny tried to ignore most of them, mumbling out his own halfhearted apologies before hunching back on himself and going on his way.

As he was getting closer to the subway entrance, he stopped at a crosswalk at a bustling intersection, looking around wearily as he waited for the light to turn. People were moving seamlessly past each other like hordes of army ants, conversing over themselves in a cacophony of noise or speaking loudly into their phones. A handful of the different shops were decorated with green and red lights in the windows, the colors bouncing off the light dusting of snow covering everything. Different Christmas songs were pouring out of the bodegas lining the sidewalks, and a group of carolers were tuning their instruments in a small park from the opposite corner of the intersection. A few cart vendors situated under some of the building overhangs or at the edge of the curbs were advertising loudly about peppermint coffee, candy cane hot chocolate, hot apple cider, and fresh caramel kettle corn. He felt his phone vibrate in his back pocket.

> **From: Arachnophobia**
> 
> Hey, I know this is last minute and all but my aunt
> 
> has been asking to meet you. We're having a small
> 
> Hanukkah dinner tonight at her place. Do you think you
> 
> can make it?

Suddenly the sights, sounds, and smells were too much. 

Danny grunted quietly as a pressure began building in his head, throbbing with every jingle of a bell as the scent of caramel and melted chocolate invaded his nose. He pulled his hands out of his pockets and covered his ears, not bothering to slip them beneath his hood. He pushed himself through the crowd gathering at the crosswalk, then weaved through the moving river of people as he dashed for an open alleyway. Snow crunched under his shoes as he rounded the corner, leaning back against the brick wall and pushing his hands harder on his ears, trying to block everything out. It was still too much. Danny swiveled his head, checking to make sure the backstreet was empty before spotting a dumpster further down. He shoved himself off the wall before dashing forward, hiding himself behind the dumpster so he could change forms, keeping his hands firmly over his ears.

With a quick flash of light, Danny turned invisible before darting into the air, climbing higher into the sky as he desperately attempted to get away from the noise and smells. He could see Stark Industries Tower a few blocks up the street from the small park he had seen across the road, and flew towards it frantically. Danny circled the tower twice before he dropped onto the edge of the helicopter pad that jutted out from the building, letting his legs dangle over the unprotected edge. When he felt safe enough to drag his hands off his ears, he let out a frustrated sigh as he folded one of his knees to his chest while he looked over the city. From way up here, where the holiday festivities weren't shoved in his face, it wasn't so bad - he could even admit that the city looked otherworldly, blanketed in a layer of snow.

The skeletons of the bare trees and bushes that speckled the streets were haloed in Christmas lights, and the colors bounced off the snow and made everything look like it was covered in a haze. Cars that hadn't been cleared off from the snowfall looked like fluffy pillows and he could see snowmen dotting some parts of the sidewalk. An ice rink in a nearby park was surrounded by food stalls, steam billowing up into the air while people skated in the rink. A tall Christmas tree pitched at one end of the rink was covered in blue, purple, and red lights, and a fountain at the opposite end was frozen over with icicles protruding off the sides like home grown crystals. Danny watched as people swirled across the ice rink; parents holding toddlers between their legs to teach them how to skate, and couples snuggled next to each other as they slowly slid on the ice. His core jerked unpleasantly in his chest, and Danny exhaled shakily as he leaned back so he was laying on the roof, staring straight into the gray overcast sky while frost bloomed around him.

"Haven't seen you in a while, Ghostling," A voice said from behind him. "Friday said that you were up here." Danny craned his head back, still laying on the roof while he looked to towards the doors on the platform leading inside the building. Mr. Stark was wearing a black fleece jacket over a dark turtleneck sweater with some jeans and a pair of brown boots. Stepping out of the glass doorway, he trudged through the some of the slush on the platform as he made his way to Danny, ignoring the frost that grew around him.

"Hey Mr. Stark," Danny muttered, relaxing back against the roof and continuing to stare at the sky.

"Oh wow, I know you're happy to see me - but please kid, contain your excitement," Mr. Stark retorted sarcastically. "And enough with that 'Mr. Stark' crap. Just call me Tony." Danny huffed a derisive short laugh, and stayed where he was.

"I'm fifteen, you know," Danny mutter. Mr. Stark rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, and Peter's twenty-seven," Mr. Stark chuckled, kicking lightly at some slush. "It's a term of endearment."

"Whatever you say, Mr. Stark," Danny replied, and Tony heaved a dramatic sigh.

"Seriously, just call me Tony," he insisted, and Danny shrugged. Tony shivered as a gust of wind blew harshly across the helicopter pad while Danny sat motionless. "So what brings you to my lovely abode?" Stark questioned, stuffing his hands in his jacket pockets.

"Just wanted to get off the streets," Danny answered grudgingly, and Mr. Stark raised an eyebrow at his clipped response.

"Well, do you at least want to come inside?" Mr. Stark quesitoned, gesturing to the door he came through with his shoulder. "I know you can't feel cold like the rest of us mere mortals, but if I stay out here any longer my fingers are going to fall off." Danny shrugged, shoving himself up and looking through the windows suspiciously before nodding.

Tony eyed him carefully but guided him into the building none the less, stomping melting snow off his boots at the door as they went inside while Danny simply turned his feet intangible to get rid of the slush. Tony led he up a short staircase into a viewing room that overlooked the helicopter pad. On the right side was a mini-bar slash kitchen, with a sink, a small stove, and a small fridge with a two-seat round table in front of the counter. On the left was another round table surround by two black leather half-circle couches in front of floor-to-ceiling glass windows, and along the wall behind the couch was an elevator. The floor was done in marble tile, and the walls and counters were inlaid with stone or polished granite. It reminded Danny of a fancy restaurant, and he felt a little out of place when he changed back into his ragtag hoodie and jeans.

"Hello Danny," Friday's voice said from the ceiling. "Welcome back."

"Hi Friday," Danny greeted unenthusiastically, unzipping his jacket and taking off his hood.

"Hey baby girl," Tony responded, strolling towards the mini bar. "How's that update from Dr. Cho coming along?"

"Dr. Cho is still going over the new design for the robotic leg braces as we speak," Friday reported, "The same as when you asked an hour ago." Tony pouted.

"All right, fine, I get it," Tony mumbled, "I'll leave the scary doctor lady alone." Tony slipped behind the bar and grabbed a glass from the cabinet after he threw his jacket on the countertop. "You want anything? Cider, tea, - I think I still have on of Morgan's juices up here too." Danny quirked a brow, pulling his sleeves over his hands.

"No thanks," Danny answered, wandering over to the windows. "Who's Morgan?"

"My daughter," Tony replied with a smirk and a hint of pride, filling his glass with tap water and walking around the counter. "She four, but she already takes after he mother, the sassy little squirt. I think you two would get along swimmingly." Danny huffed, still staring out the window, and missed the smile sliding off Tony's face as a calculating look entered his eyes. "Are you okay?" Tony asked, and Danny jolted lightly.

"Yeah," Danny mumbled as he turned to face Tony, "Why wouldn't I be?" Tony eyed him shrewdly before taking a sip of water.

"No reason," Tony muttered before he pointed his glass at the couch. "You want to sit down?" Danny shrugged, but sat down on the end of the couch closest to the window anyway. Tony plopped himself on the opposite side, and before he could speak Danny's phone went off again. With more force than he needed, Danny dragged it out of his back pocket and grit his teeth.

> **From: Arachnophobia**
> 
> Hey, you there?
> 
> **To: Arachnophobia**
> 
> Sorry.
> 
> Just got back.
> 
> I need to think about it.

When he finished irritably punching the keys in for the text, he closed his phone and threw it on the cushion beside him while he folded his arm and laid his head heavily on the table with a strangled grunt. Tony eyed him again.

"Okay, seriously," Tony exclaimed after a few moments, putting his cup down on table. "What the hell is wrong? You're acting like someone kicked your dog and got away with it."

"It's nothing," Danny bit out sharply from beneath his arm, "Lay off." Tony bristled, sitting straighter behind the table.

"For your sake, I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," Tony to him crisply, " 'Cause I know you normally aren't that rude. So I'm going to ask again; what the hell has gotten into you?"

"Look," Danny retorted, lifting his head from his arm, "I'm sorry, all right - but if you haven't noticed, I'm kinda a Grinch, and I'm not exactly in the mood for sunshine, rainbows, and happy holiday cheer. Okay?"

"All right, fine," Tony conceded. "Still doesn't explain why you're being a jerk." Danny sighed in frustration.

"My parents were fighting about whether I should come visit them for Christmas," Danny spat out in a rush, "And Peter wants me to meet his aunt over Hanukkah dinner tonight - but I don't want to go because I'm miserable and frustrated, and I know if I go, _I'll_ make everyone else miserable and frustrated, and then everyone will get mad at me. But I know if I don't go then he'll be disappointed and I just want to be left alone!" Tony flinched at the mention of his parents, before leaning back in his seat for the rest of his rant.

"Okay," Tony drawled out the word, "That was a lot to unpack. What about the holidays has you riled up so much?" Danny raked his hands through his hair harshly.

"I don't hate the holidays," Danny replied resignedly. "I just hate what my parents turned it into. Ever since I was a baby, all they ever did during Christmas was argue with each other - and about the stupidest things! And I would always be the one to get stuck in the middle! Sometimes my parents would get so wrapped up in proving each other wrong, that they would forget about me and Jazz, and then-," Danny sighed, slumping back into the couch, "Then bad stuff would happen." Tony quirked a brow.

"Bad how?" Tony questioned hesitantly. Danny crossed his arms and glowered at him.

"When I was a year old, my parents went to a tree farm, and when they started bickering about which one to get," Danny started bitterly, Tony looking at him incredulously, "A dog pissed in my baby carrier, and I ended up getting sick. When I was two, they took me and my sister to a traveling reindeer petting zoo. They were to busy jumping down each others throats to notice that I nearly got trampled." Tony winced, starting to look uncomfortable. "When I was three, they forgot me at the mall, and I spent two hours wandering around by myself trying to look for them. And when I was four, we went sledding and I almost went sliding onto a half frozen lake because they weren't paying attention. They were too busy - you guessed it! - fighting with each other. Are you starting to get the picture?"

"All right, all right," Tony conceded, dragging his other hand over his face. After a moment Danny exhaled and hunched forward, hiding his face in his hands.

"I don't hate the holidays," Danny whispered dejectedly. "But it's-, it's hard, when I see families who are so happy just being together, and all I have to look forward to is listening to my parents bicker. And what's even more frustrating is that this year, they're using _me_ as an excuse to fight - and I hate that! All I wanted this year, was _maybe_ spend a day with them that didn't involve them shouting at each other, but it's not even close to Christmas and they're already going at it. And now I don't want to have anything to do with the holidays, ever again." They both were silent as Danny's breathing slowed, before Tony lifted his glass to his lips and drained the rest of it in one go.

"You know, I used to hate the holidays that much too," Tony commented, and Danny looked at him in surprise. "Me and my dad, we never got along," Tony said, fiddling with the empty glass in his hands. "Heck, I'm pretty sure my dad didn't even like me. Howard always said the happiest day of his life was when I was shipped off to boarding school," Tony scoffed, rolling his eyes. "He only used Christmas break as an excuse to get me to come home so he could check up on me, make sure I didn't 'ruin his reputation'. My mom on the other hand-, we got along like a house on fire. So, no matter how much I wanted to get out from under Howard's thumb, I always made an exception to come visit my mom, especially for Christmas." Tony's eyes dimmed, and he squeezed the glass. "After they-, after they died, I didn't see a point in celebrating Christmas anymore," he continued. "I would spend days down in my lab, isolated from everyone because seeing other people just reminded me of what I lost."

"What changed?" Danny asked after moment, and Tony looked up at him and smiled faintly.

"I met Pepper," Tony answered honestly, "I fell in love. You know, the first Christmas we spent together, she was still my PA and was supposed to take a vacation to the Bahamas. So imagine my surprise, when I wake up Christmas morning with Pepper banging at my lab door, demanding that I come eat breakfast like a normal human being. She had cancelled her trip because she'd heard I was going to be alone. And she acted like it was just a normal day at the office and that nothing was wrong, even when I started getting snippy with her. I didn't know how much I needed that until she did it. Then I met Peter. He used to sneak into my labs to help me with some of my projects - still does, actually. Just to remind me I wasn't alone as I thought I was. Then," Tony continued, a little breathless, "Then Pepper and I had a kid, and I became a dad. And I realized, I never wanted Morgan to feel like I did with Howard - ever. And if that means Happy Holiday Christmas time, then at least it's time I get to spend with her."

"The point is, kid," Tony advised, "You've had some awful experiences with your parents over the holidays - and in general. 'That sucks' doesn't even begin to cover it. But don't let that discourage you from making new memories with Peter, because Peter doesn't just want to spend Hanukkah with you, he wants to spend time with you _as his family_. Everything else is just secondary." Tony grabbed his empty glass, stood up, and patted Danny on the shoulder. "I have to head back down to my lab to finish something up," Tony told him, "You can come with me or you can stay up here as long as you need to. If you decide you want to spend some time in the lab, Friday will guide you down, okay?" When he finished speaking, Tony walked over to the elevator and Danny watched silently as he slipped inside.

As the elevator whisked Tony to the lower levels of the Tower, Danny slumped over the table and laid his head on his arms as he started to think, looking at his phone he had left on the cushion. After some thought, Danny grabbed his phone and pulled up the messenger app, carefully typing out a new message for Peter.

> **To: Arachnophobia**
> 
> What's the address and when should I be there?
> 
> **From: Arachnophobia**
> 
> :D !!!

* * *

After leaving Stark Industries Tower, Danny had rushed to his apartment to find better clothes than his hole-riddled jeans and his threadbare NASA shirt. When he finally found a decent dark blue sweater and a pair of black pants that looked nice with his winter coat (although he wished he could've just worn Wade's jacket), he nervously paced his apartment trying to decide if he should bring a gift over with him. He knew a little bit about Hanukkah from Sam, but this would be his first time actually attending a Hanukkah dinner. Peter hadn't mentioned that he should bring anything, but Danny didn't want to be rude so he settled on getting a box of chocolates. He walked to the nearest shopping mall and searched around, finally finding a place that sold a plain box that wasn't Christmas-y. When he was nearly done, it was almost time for him to head over to Peter's childhood home, and Danny's earlier sour mood dropped into dread.

Using his phone for a map and a GPS, Danny hopped on the Metro then switched on a train halfway through, tapping his feet anxiously as his core vibrated with his nerves. He desperately attempted to remember some of the stuff Sam had mentioned to him offhand about Hanukkah, but thoughts began circling in his head. _What if I say something offensive by accident? What if she doesn't like me? Do I look okay? Are the chocolates a bit much? What if she's allergic? What she hates it? What if_ Peter _hates it? Should I have worn something nicer?_ On and on his thoughts circled, to the point where Danny had to force his mind blank to keep himself from spiraling. When he got off the train at the correct stop, he used the walk to burn off some of his jittery energy until the map on his phone lead him to the correct spot.

Danny shuffled nervously as he stood in front of the house Peter had given him the address to, almost an hour and a half before sundown. It was located in one of the more residential parts of Queens, with cookie-cutter two stories houses lining the streets and a tiny patch of lawn in front of each of them. The one that Peter had indicated in his text had gray wood paneling that mimicked stone work, and had a brick lined flower bed covered in snow under a bay window on the left side. The only decorations were displayed in the window on the first floor, the curtains open enough that he could make out parts of the living room. A star made up of blue and white lights was hung on the glass, and an unlit menorah was set on the sill surrounded by a red velvet sash. Small yellow lights outlined the first story roof, and wrapped around the hand rails of the small brick staircase that lead up to the door.

His core twitched in longing at the homey feel of the house as he dragged himself to the door, his normal moodiness when he usually saw something like this simmering underneath his nerves.

 _Just think of it as a normal dinner,_ Danny thought desperately as he knocked on the door. _Just a normal dinner with Peter. So you could meet his aunt. Who's basically his mother. Who may or may not know about your powers. Who may not know about_ Peter's _powers. Oh, this was such a bad idea!_ As his thoughts devolved further, Peter peeked through the door before opening it wide and dragging him inside for a one-armed hug.

"Danny!" Peter exclaimed, ruffling his hair. "Thank you so much for coming! This really means a lot to me." Danny gave him a strained smile, returning the hug a little desperately. Peter noticed his apprehension, and squeezed back. "Hey, you'll be fine, okay?" Peter reassured him as he motioned for Danny's coat. "Aunt May's going to love you." Danny hummed dubiously as he handed Peter his coat.

"If you say so," Danny mumbled, nervously fiddling with his gift for Peter and his aunt. "Before I meet her, I was actually wondering about something. How much does she know - about you or me, I mean." Danny flashed his eyes green to make his point, and Peter smiled lightly.

"Aunt May found out I was Spider Man a few years after I got my powers," Peter chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head. "She caught me changing out of my suit. She really chewed me out for it, but we came to an agreement and she let me keep being Spider Man. She doesn't know about your powers - I told her that you had some trouble with your parents and we ended up becomeing close while I helped you get emancipated, but nothing more than that." Danny grinned slightly.

"You didn't tell her you basically adopted me," Danny joked, and felt his core warm at Peter's content and bashful expression.

"She kinda already figured that part out," Peter confirmed, and then groaned theatrically. "Do you know what she said to me when I finished telling her about you? 'Maybe I'll get a grandchild out of you yet, Peter.' Can you believe that!?" Some of the tension in Danny's shoulders loosened marginally, and his core vibrated pleasantly.

"Peter?" A voiced called from the kitchen, and Peter perked up.

"Coming Aunt May," Peter called out, and dragged Danny with him into the kitchen through the living room.

The living room was filled to the brim with pictures and nick-knacks, a few robotics and decathlon trophies with Peter's name proudly on display. A TV was set up against the left hand wall, and a cozy two-seat fabric sofa was situated in front of it, with the bay window just to the left of the sofa. On the right side of the couch opposite the window was a tall wooden china cabinet, and next to it was a door that lead into the kitchen. To the right of the door was a set of stairs the went up into the second floor, a handful of photos hanging in the stairwell. As Peter led him into the kitchen, Danny could smell food being cooked and his nose perked in interest.

The kitchen was bustling with activity; another wooden cabinet sat beside a rectangular dining table, already made up with glasses, silverware, and plates, with empty places along the sides and in middle for the food. Separating the dinning area was a L-shaped counter that was covered in various pans and a cutting board full of different vegetables. A pan of oil was warming on the stove, and the light for the oven indicated something was cooking there as well. A middle-aged woman was mixing a something in a bowl on the counter next to the stove. She had long, brown hair that was a shade darker than Peter's with streaks of gray and it was braided down the middle of her back. She had a oval face with dark brown eyes, and a few soft wrinkle lines at the corner of her eyes and cheeks, and she had flour smudged on her nose. She wore a tan apron over a loose blouse that was speckled with different colors and a pair of jeans. She looked up at the sound of their footsteps, smiling at them as she dropped the spoon she was using in the bowl and wiped her hands on her apron.

"Aunt May," Peter introduced, pulling Danny in front of him and resting a hand on his shoulder, "This is Danny. And Danny, this is Aunt May."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Parker," Danny greeted shyly, then held out the box of chocolates to her. "I, um-, I know people normally exchange gifts on Hanukkah, so I got these for you and Peter. I hope they're okay." Mrs. Parker brought one of her hands up to her cheek as her smile widened, dimples appearing at the corners of her mouth as she took the box.

"Oh, thank you Danny, that's so thoughtful of you!" Mrs. Parker replied. "We'll open these up after dinner. Here - come sit down while Peter and I finish up. And please, call me May." She placed the chocolates on the cabinet next to the table, and ushered him to take a seat. Not wanting to be left alone where his mood could get worse or his thoughts spiral again, Danny pulled back just a bit.

"Is there anything I could help with?" Danny asked hesitantly, and May looked delighted.

"Of course!" She exclaimed, pulling him into the kitchen. "The more the merrier! You can help get the tzimmes ready." Danny paused as his brain buffered over the word. Peter saw his dazed look and laughed.

"Aunt May," Peter whined jokingly, stepping into the kitchen with them. May punched Peter's arm lightly in retaliation before shooing him over to the stove.

"Oh, hush you," May laughed, rolling up the sleeves of her blouse. "Just for that, after you check on the brisket you can start on the sufganiyot - and no 'taste testing' the filling like last year!" Peter smirked and went over to the stove, pulling out a meat thermometer from a nearby drawer and opening the oven door. May motioned for him to wash his hands in the sink while she opened one of the cabinets and got down a cookbook. Once his hands were dry, she guided him over to the cutting board and opened the book, flipping a few pages before she found the one she was looking for.

"Have you cooked before, Danny?" May asked as she pulled a bowl to herself while she stayed close enough to him that their elbows brushed every once and a while. Danny was admittedly relieved she didn't go to far, a little worried about possibly ruining the dish.

"Kinda," Danny answered hesitantly, fiddling with his fingers. "Peter's been showing me some stuff when I go over to his apartment, but mostly I use the microwave at mine." May grinned encouragingly.

"Then we'll make a cook outta you yet!" She exclaimed, putting a vegetable peeler in his hands. "All you need to do is peel the sweet potatoes and then cut them into chunks - the same for the carrots, and then you just need to halve the prunes. While you do that, I'll get the sauce ready." Danny nodded as he quirked a brow.

"What exactly is tsim-, tzim-?" Danny stuttered over the unfamiliar word.

"Tzimmes?" May finished for him, and Danny nodded again as he reached for a sweet potato and started to peel. May scrunched her nose slightly as she tried to find a way to describe the dish. "I guess you could call it a sweet stew. It's Yiddish for 'making a fuss' over something." Danny hummed softly; he had never tried anything like that before.

"And what's Peter making?" Danny asked as he continued to peel, his curiosity piqued.

"Sufganiyah," May replied, pulling out cinnamon, brown sugar, honey, and orange juice from various places around the kitchen. "It's a type of fried doughnut. Normally they're filled with jam, but Peter and I prefer custard - which is why there will be no taste testing Peter!"

"I haven't even opened the custard yet, Aunt May!" Peter whined from behind them, and May turned to smirk at him.

"Well, I've got my eyes on you, mister," She replied and Danny couldn't help but chuckled a little bit. Once he was satisfied with the first sweet potato, he set it aside as he grabbed another.

"Is that what the oil on the stove is for?" Danny asked, carefully peeling the next potato. May began measuring out a portion on brown sugar as she shook her head.

"That oil is for the latkes," May stated, pouring the sugar in the bowl and then grabbing the honey next. "Once were done frying a few of those, we'll switch it with some new oil so the salt from the latkes doesn't mix with the sufganiyot." Danny blinked, his hands pausing.

"I never realized how much fried food there was for Hanukkah," Danny remarked, beginning to peel again.

"It's a custom to commemorate the miracle of Hanukkah," May explained, pouring a measurement of orange juice into her bowl. "Do you know the story of Hanukkah Danny?" Danny hesitated, figuring out how he wanted to word his answer.

"Sort of?" Danny trailed off. "My friend Sam is Jewish and she's told me a little bit about it. It's something to do with a keeping a light lit for eight days, right?" May smiled encouragingly at him.

"During the Roman Empire, a Jewish temple was taken over by a group of Greek soldiers," May told him, and Danny stopped what he was doing to listen. "When the temple was reclaimed two years later, the Jewish people had to rededicate the temple by lighting a menorah for eight days, but there was only enough olive oil left to light the menorah for one day. But instead, the oil lasted for all eight days, long enough for more oil to be found to finish the ceremony. You see Danny, Hanukkah is a holiday about hope, holding on in tough times, and appreciating what you have, no matter how small. Peter and I were actually wondering if you wanted to light the candles with us tonight?" Danny flinched slightly and hunched in on himself, the seriousness of the questioned weighing on his shoulders.

"I-, Would that even be allowed, since I'm not Jewish?" Danny asked carefully, and May tilted her head thoughtfully while Peter heard the skittishness in his voice and turned to face them.

"To some people it would probably matter," May remarked, "But not to us. My late husband Ben and I used to take Peter to a synagogue to celebrate Hanukkah. Ever since he died, we'd rather just do it here, so we can remember him together. But this year, Peter wanted to share this special day with you too. You're family after all." Danny blinked, his shoulders relaxing as he felt his core warm. Peter and May looked at him with alarm.

"Hey," Peter asked softly, stepping closer to him, "Danny what's wrong?" Danny shook his head.

"Nothing's wrong," Danny insisted, but then realized he had tears on his cheeks. "I-, I'm sorry, I'm fine."

"Oh, honey, was it something I said?" May asked as she carefully rubbed his arm.

"No, no," Danny told them as he quickly wiped at his eyes. "I just-, I don't really do well during the holidays. My parents always end up fighting, and I had a couple accidents as a kid that still bother me. And I know I'm part of Peter's family now, but I-, I really need to hear it today." Danny leaned into Peter's chest, and Peter wrapped him in a tight hug.

"I'll keep telling you that as many times as you need, Danny," Peter whispered into his hair, and Danny nodded into Peter's shoulder. After a few seconds, Danny pushed himself back and wiped his face.

"Thank you for inviting me over," Danny told them. "I think-, I think I would like to try, if that's okay. Can you-, can you tell me more about Ben? He sounds like an amazing person." May smiled sweetly, here own eyes shining.

As they finished prepping the meal, Peter and May traded off telling stories about Uncle Ben that made Danny wished he could have met him. His core pulsed warmly the entire time, and a weight he hadn't noticed was lifted off his shoulders. When it was time to light the candles, Danny carefully followed May's guidance as he lit the larger candle in the middle before using it to light the others. As Peter bowed his head and recited a blessing, Danny felt like the menorah wasn't the only light that had been lit that night.

**Author's Note:**

> One of the episodes of Danny Phantom that bother me was "A Fright Before Christmas" because of just how the creators went about it. First of all, who fights over the existence of Santa so heatedly that you traumatize a child. Second, I get the whole moral of that episode for Danny was, "Everyone celebrates the holidays in their own way," but to associate that it's okay for parents to fight just for the sake of fighting on a day all about family is completely messed up and not okay.
> 
> I wanted to characterize Danny in this episode as someone who wasn't intentionally trying to ruin other people's holidays, but wanted to be left alone because he was traumatized as a child. I think what frustrates Danny the most about the holidays is how "in your face" some people make it seem, when honestly he just wants to be left alone. Danny is fully aware he is a grump during the holidays, which is part of the reason he has such an aversion to it, but also because he's jealous of what other people have. The other is that some people expect that during the holidays, we should be happy all the time, and that isn't something I personally agree with. To me, the holidays are just another day I get to spend with my family, presents or no, with or without a fancy dinner, and that is the mood I was trying to set up here.


End file.
